The present invention pertains to electrodes, wires, or rods which are typically used for welding, soldering, brazing or hard-facing applications. Such electrodes typically contain filler materials therein along the length thereof. The filler ingredients in the core of such electrodes may include base metals, alloys, flux forming ingredients, deoxidizers, arc stabilizers and the like typically in particulate, powder or granular form.
A typical flux cored electrode of the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,822. As taught therein such electrode is constructed of strip steel formed into tubular shape. The tube is formed of the metal to be consumed and transferred to a weld. The electrode further includes a core of alloy and flux forming ingredients. After the tubular electrode is closed around the core, the tube may be successively drawn or rolled to smaller diameters. Such cold reduction of the cross section of the tube compacts the core materials, in place, and eliminates void spaces throughout the length of the electrode.
Compaction of core materials inside an electrode is necessary to insure that the filler materials are distributed uniformly and held in position to prevent such materials from flowing from the core of the electrode during welding, soldering, brazing and hard-facing.
The prior art teaches various alternative methods of holding electrode core materials in place, including the following. U.S. Pat. No. 1,650,905 teaches the preferred use of a carbonaceous binder to hold filler materials in a generally rectangular, open, trough-shaped welding rod. Also U.S. Pat. No. 1,891,546 teaches double sheathing of core materials to prevent the opening of a soldering or brazing rod during handling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,446, which also pertains to the use of an inner metallic sheath to isolate the filler materials from the weld joint of an outer sheath, shows a welding wire having a rectangular configuration.
This invention pertains to a generally rectangular, two piece electrode housing granular core materials therein. The prior art methods of holding the granular electrode filler materials in position, as discussed above, are not considered adequate for the electrode of the present invention. Accordingly, a new and improved electrode, and method of making such electrode are desired which insures that granular electrode core materials are held in position within a two piece generally rectangular electrode.
The present invention may be summarized as providing an improved method of making a generally rectangular continuous electrode having a width to thickness ratio of at least 4:1 comprising the steps of forming sheet metal into a first continuous trough shaped sheath, filling the trough with granular core materials and enclosing the trough. The core materials are restricted within the electrode by intermittently mechanically depressing a portion of at least one electrode wall inwardly of the electrode.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of restricting electrode core materials within a two piece, generally rectangular electrode, particularly electrodes having a large width to thickness ratio, wherein conventional drawing or rolling is unable to prevent shifting of the filler materials in the core.